Tokyo Education Board’s Purposefully Dismissing Mr Hikita Revealed - 20-Minute Testimony

On Jan. 27, the last testimonial to reinstate Tetsuya Hikita as a junior school teacher was held at Tokyo District Court. Hikita was dismissed because the school said he was inappropriate for the position during his training period. Hikita, who formerly taught at Kodaira No. 5 Junior High School, spent about 20 minutes explaining unfairness and illegality of dismissing public workers. His dignified appeal echoed heavily in the court house filled with supporters. “This struggle will extensively influence education board,” Lawyer Akira Fukushima said after the hearing closed. “We will be in trouble if it gets easier to dismiss public workers like this.” The verdict will be handed down on April 28. (By Y) See Hikita’s homepage


都教委の狙いうち解雇明らかに～疋田教諭 20分にわたり最終陳述
　教員として「不適格」という理由で「研修」の途中、一方的に解雇された処分の撤回を求める「疋田教諭分限免職取消し訴訟」の最終意見陳述が1月27日午後、東京地裁であった。原告の疋田哲也・小平第五中学校元教員（写真）は証言台で、約20分にわたって分限免職の不当性、違法性を訴えた。疋田さんの堂々としたよどみのない主張が、静寂に包まれた満員の傍聴席に、重く響きわたった。閉廷後の報告会で、福島晃弁護士は「この闘いは、教育行政に大きく影響を与える。分限免職がまかり通る世の中になったらと大変だ」と強調した。判決は、4月28日に言い渡される。（報道部・Y）・当該HP